Paddle

ABSTRACT

A paddle for use with a kayak, canoe or similar watercraft is provided with a rotatable hand grip in the form of a sleeve, the sleeve being rotatable about a shaft of the paddle The rotatable hand grip is provided with a retaining means to retain the sleeve in a pre-determined location along the length of the shaft.

[0001] The present invention relates to a paddle, in particular a paddle used with kayaks, canoes and similar watercraft,

[0002] A conventional method of paddling a kayak, canoe or similar watercraft allows one hand to be fixed on a shaft of the paddle whilst the other hand loosely holds the shaft, allowing the shaft to rotate in said hand as the paddle is dipped in and out of the water.

[0003] The hand that loosely holds the shaft forms calluses as a result of the constant friction between the rotating shaft and said hand. Furthermore, significant strain is incurred on the corresponding wrist of the hand that loosely holds the shaft during the paddling motion, leading to chronic strain injuries in some users.

[0004] The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part some of the aforementioned disadvantages.

[0005] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a paddle for use with a kayak, canoe, or similar watercraft, which comprises an elongate shaft having a first end and a second end, at least one end of the shaft having a blade attached thereto, wherein the shaft is provided with a rotatable hand grip in the form of a sleeve extending thereabout.

[0006] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a single-bladed paddle in accordance with the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a double-bladed paddle in accordance with the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of either of the paddles shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals and symbols refer to like parts throughout, there is shown a paddle 20 provided with a rotatable hand grip 10. The paddle 20 includes a linear shaft 22 with a first end and a second end. The paddle 20 shown in FIG. 1 has a blade 24 attached at the first end and a handle attached at the second end. The paddle 20 shown in FIG. 2 has a blade 24 attached at each end.

[0009] The rotatable hand grip 10 includes a sleeve 12 and a collar 14.

[0010] The sleeve 12 is a length of rigid tubing with a diameter marginally greater than a diameter of the shaft 22 of the paddle 20, such that the sleeve 12 is rotatable about a central longitudinal axis of the shaft 22. The sleeve 12 is arranged to surround the shaft 22 at a predetermined location along the length of the shaft 22. It is envisaged that the sleeve 12 will be located at a point along the length of the shaft 22 where a user would normally grasp the shaft 22 according to the user's personal preference. Preferably, the sleeve 12 is located adjacent to the blade 24 of the paddle 20.

[0011] It will be understood that the diameter of the sleeve 12 may be the same as or even less than the diameter of the shaft 22 of the paddle 20, provided that a diameter of a portion of the shaft 22 enveloped by the sleeve 12 is reduced such that the sleeve 12 is freely rotatable about the portion of the shaft 20.

[0012] The collar 14 is fixed to the shaft 22 of the paddle by suitable fixing means, such as, for example, nuts and bolts, pop rivets, button head screws. The collar 14 is disposed adjacent to the sleeve 12. The purpose of the collar 14 is to retain the sleeve 12 in its predetermined location along the length of the shaft 22, and to prevent the sleeve 12 sliding along the length of the shaft 22 in instances where the diameter of the sleeve 12 is marginally greater than the diameter of the shaft 22. In this particular embodiment the collar 14 is disposed adjacent to an inner edge 16 of the sleeve 12 to prevent the sleeve 12 sliding along the length of the shaft 22 towards a midpoint location along the shaft 22. The sleeve 12 is prevented from sliding off the end of the shaft 22 by the blade 24 However, it is envisaged that if the rotatable grip 10 is spaced apart from the blade 24, an additional collar 14 disposed adjacent to an outer edge of the sleeve 12 would be provided to prevent the sleeve 12 from sliding along the length of the shaft 22 towards the blade 24.

[0013] It is envisaged that an alternative retaining means, such as retaining rings, clips, or a raised circumferential ridge integral with the shaft, could be used to retain the sleeve 12 in the predetermined location along the length of the shaft 22 and prevent the sleeve 12 from sliding along the length of the shaft 22 towards either the midpoint of the shaft 22 or the blade 24.

[0014] In instances where the diameter of the portion of the shaft 22 enveloped by the sleeve 12 is reduced such that the sleeve 12 is freely rotatable about said portion, and the diameter of the sleeve 12 is the same as or even less than the diameter of the remaining portion of the shaft 22, it will be understood that the outer and inner edges of the sleeve 12 will abut the remaining portion of the shaft 22, so causing the sleeve 12 to be retained in the predetermined location along the length of the shaft 22. The rotatable hand grip 10 allows the user to paddle a watercraft with both hands in a fixed position rather than with one hand in a fixed position and the other hand loosely holding the rotating shaft of the paddle. Using the present invention, the shaft 22 still rotates relative to the hand that would formerly have loosely held the rotating shaft. However, the rotatable hand grip 10 allows said hand to remain stationary, thus reducing the risk of calluses and strain on the wrist corresponding to the hand fixed on the rotatable hand grip 10.

[0015] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention 

1. A paddle for use with a kayak, canoe, or similar watercraft, which comprises an elongate shaft having a first end and a second end, at least one end of the shaft having a blade attached thereto, wherein the shaft is provided with a rotatable hand grip in the form of a sleeve extending thereabout.
 2. A paddle according to claim 1 , wherein, each end of the shaft has a respective blade attached thereto.
 3. A paddle according to claim 1 , wherein a single blade is attached at the first end and a handle is attached at the second end.
 4. The paddle according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable hand grip is adjacent the blade member.
 5. The paddle according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable hand grip is provided with at least one retaining means fixed to the shaft of the paddle, wherein the or each retaining means retains the sleeve in a predetermined location along the length of the shaft of the paddle.
 6. The paddle according to claim 5 , wherein the or each retaining means is disposed adjacent to the sleeve.
 7. The paddle according to claim 5 or claim 6 , wherein the retaining means is a collar. 